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IL-27 promotes pathogenic T cells in a mouse model of Sjögren's disease
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

IL-27 promotes pathogenic T cells in a mouse model of Sjögren's disease

Ivy L. Debreceni, Jennifer Y. Barr, Ellen M. Upton, Yi-Guang Chen and Scott M. Lieberman
Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.), Vol.264, 110260
07/2024
DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.110260
PMCID: PMC11203157
PMID: 38788885
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clim.2024.110260View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Sjögren's disease (SjD) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by focal lymphocytic inflammation in lacrimal and salivary glands. We recently identified IL-27 as a requisite signal for the spontaneous SjD-like manifestations in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. Here, we define T cell-intrinsic effects of IL-27 in lacrimal gland disease in NOD mice. IL-27 receptor was required by both CD4 T effector (Te) cells and CD8 T cells to mediate focal inflammation. Intrinsic IL-27 signaling was associated with PD-1 and ICOS expressing T follicular helper (Tfh)-like CD4 Te cells within lacrimal glands, including subsets defined by CD73 or CD39 expression. CD8 T cells capable of IL-27 signaling also expressed PD-1 with subsets expressing ICOS and CD73 demonstrating a T follicular cytotoxic (Tfc)-like cell phenotype and others expressing a CD39hi exhausted-like phenotype. These findings suggest IL-27 is a key early signal driving a follicular-type response in lacrimal gland inflammation in NOD mice. •Both CD4 effector T cells and CD8 T cells require IL-27Rα to mediate focal lacrimal gland inflammation.•IL-27 promotes PD-1+ ICOS+ T follicular helper-like CD4 T cells in lacrimal gland autoimmunity.•IL-27 promotes T follicular cytotoxic-like and exhausted-like CD8 T cells in lacrimal glands.•IL-27 confers competitive disadvantage to T regulatory cells in lacrimal gland autoimmunity.
Exhausted CD8 T cells IL-27 Sjögren's disease T follicular cytotoxic cells T follicular helper cells T peripheral helper cells

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